Heores for Hire: The health impacts of working in comics

 

 

On the 17^th February 2015, British Comic Book artist Brett Ewins passed away. Ewins best known for his work on ‘Judge Dredd,’ ‘Rogue Trooper,’ and ‘Bad Company,’ in the anthology magazine ‘2000AD,’ was only fifty nine years old when he died. He was a respected artist within the industry as well as being a significant influence on street artists.

Like so many comic book creators and artists his work load as an artist had a profound impact on his life. In 1991 Ewins suffered a nervous breakdown, which led to the loss of several commissions from DC Comics and Penguin Books. He was diagnosed as having bi-polar disorder, the medication he took to treat his condition meant he could only work for approximately two hours a day. In 2012 his illness led to an altercation with police and his hospitalisation. He died in February 2015 following a short illness.

Brett Ewins was a talented artist who influenced a generation of readers and future artists with his work. The greatest tragedy appears to be that the medium that he loved played a significant role in his untimely death.

Being a comic book professional is not easy, many of those involved in the industry spend years trying to break into comics. After that they have to manage deadlines, maintain discipline, sacrifice their social/family time and ultimately work as a freelancer. The life of a freelancer can be daunting, many operate from studios at home but the work can be all consuming. Comic book artist and writer Phillip Hester provides some insight, “Most cartoonists are free-lancers working from home…family pressures can tempt you into pushing professional obligations to the back, confident you can catch up with a few all-nighters…problem is all-nighters get harder and harder as you age…spending so much time alone, sleep deprived and often wired on caffeine will stress you out and ultimately take a toll on your health.”

The impact this lifestyle has is profound and it has already had a significant impact on the industry’s talent.  Mark Gruenwald a writer, editor and penciller with Marvel Comics, known for his work on Captain America died in 1996 aged 43 as a result of a heart attack. Mark Wieringo an artist known for his work on The Flash for DC Comics and Fantastic Four for Marvel died in 2007 aged 44 as a result of aortic dissection.

The artist Scott Clark, known for his work for DC Comics and Wildstorm died suddenly in 2013 aged 43. Paying tribute to his colleague DC Comics Co-Publisher; Jim Lee said, “He was one of the regular crew of guys who worked well into the night (every night), took dinner at Denny’s at 2am and played ping pong in between drawing pages. We will all miss him dearly.”

In paying his respects to his colleague, Jim Lee may have described the very lifestyle that may have contributed to Clark’s death. In 2010, a study by Denmark’s National Research Centre for the Working Environment found that men who work more than 45 hours a week are more than twice as likely to die from heart disease if they are unfit. Although the health implications for a life in the comic industry is not exclusive to men, there are a high proportion of men working in the medium and in general men appear to be in denial about their health.

A survey carried out by The Men’s Health Network (MHN) in the UK in 2011 found that nearly 70% of men find it easier to care for their cars rather than their personal health. The most probable reason for this trend is a narrow definition of masculinity that pervades society. Young boys are taught that ‘big boys don’t cry,’ which creates the message in later life that to ask for help is a sign of weakness. As a result men are ignoring symptoms of treatable health conditions because they are too proud to admit they need help.

Asking for help is a big step but for comic book creators there are additional hurdles. Due to the nature of freelance work and the inconsistent income streams available, not all comic book creators have Health Insurance in place to cover any eventualities. This is particularly prevalent among the older writers and artists. Some creators who are lucky enough to find work with one of the big companies may benefit from their health policies, but for those that don’t the charity The Hero Initiative provides a financial safety net for those who need emergency medical aid, although its funds are solely dependent on the donations of others.

This week marks Men’s Health Week in the UK (15^TH-21^st July), now is perhaps the perfect time with superheroes riding the crest of a wave to remind the men in our lives that they don’t have to be superman, that it’s ok to get checked out with their doctor and talk about their anxieties with a trusted friend or loved one.

It’s also worthwhile considering the many comic book creators who labour long and hard to bring us the titles we enjoy every week and every month. If you can please donate on-line to the Hero Initiative as you will be making a real difference to the lives of writers and artists everywhere.